Here's an early holiday gift from us to you: A new election to start thinking about! (You can thank us later.)

Last month, Portland city councilors voted for Nick Mavodones to serve a second consecutive (and fourth total) year-long term as the city's mayor, a mostly ceremonial post as it currently exists. But next year, that will change. Last month, Portlanders voted to bring back (after a hiatus of more than 80 years) the elected-mayor system; the first mayoral election will take place in November 2011. Once the results were in, murmured conjecture began: who will be Portland's first elected mayor in decades? That person will be like the oldest sibling of future Portland mayors, with a four-year term to set precedents, to figure out the parameters of the post, to make mistakes and learn from them without any contemporary comparisons.

Some say that it's too soon to start speculating on who will run in what is sure to be an expensive and closely watched race. Others admit that they're thinking about throwing their hats into the ring. Those who have firmly decided not to run offer some of the most interesting thoughts, most likely because they don't have to be particularly cagey.

We sent a query to some usual suspects — city councilors, local activists, and people about-town. It was by no means a comprehensive survey, but it does provide the first sketchy outlines of the elected-mayor campaign landscape. Councilor Jill Duson and councilor-elect Ed Suslovic didn't respond to our inquiries, but here are some comments from those who did:

No

JOHN COYNE, DISTRICT 5 CITY COUNCILOR "I am sure that there are a great amount of people that feel that they have the answers for this city. My hope is that this person is mindful of the amazing people of Portland. I believe that there is a native son/ daughter that can make this a transition that is smooth. I am hoping that this is not a candidate that makes residency in Portland a new thing and uses our great city to accelerate a political career or other views from where they came from . . . I fear that this new position may be even more politicized than our regular elections."

ED DEMOCRACY, LOCAL ACTIVIST "I have no plans to run . . . [M]y plan is to encourage a large field of candidates to run so we can have a vigorous neighborhood-by-neighborhood, citywide discussion about the future of Portland and the role our elected mayor can play in helping us to get there. Looking past all the usual suspects — who I really hope will think twice before running — I think Steve Rowe would make a great mayor! Two other high-profile leaders who are engaging people around the city, really listening and really responding are police chief James Craig and school superintendent James Morse. It would also be great to have a new young leader emerge who could engage college and high school students and inspire all Portland kids to get involved!

KEVIN DONOGHUE, DISTRICT 1 CITY COUNCILOR "I do not intend to run for mayor in 2011, but will likely seek re-election (to the council) in 2012."

Odd year ahead for museums and galleries Remember, for every droopy tarp stalactite that makes it into a museum lobby installation, there are dozens of similar (and similarly impressive) creatures that never leave a studio wall.

Peter Max's pop life Peter Max rocketed to fame as one of the iconic psychedelic artists of the late '60s.

Traveling critic seeks art to review In “60 wrd/min art critic,” a performance event that has the feel of a triathlon, Lori Waxman, the Chicago Tribune art reviewer, will be coming to Portland to write short reviews for artists who wish to show her their work and get a piece written about it.

Tedium and enchantment Can it be a good sign when a curator writes that the artist he's featuring in her first US museum survey "has laid bare the creative act in all its tedium and enchantment for over two decades"?

ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE | July 24, 2014 When three theater companies, all within a one-hour drive of Portland, choose to present the same Shakespeare play on overlapping dates, you have to wonder what about that particular show resonates with this particular moment.

CHECKING IN: THE NEW GUARD AND THE WRITER'S HOTEL | July 11, 2014 Former Mainer Shanna McNair started The New Guard, an independent, multi-genre literary review, in order to exalt the writer, no matter if that writer was well-established or just starting out.

NO TAR SANDS | July 10, 2014 “People’s feelings are clear...they don’t want to be known as the tar sands capitol of the United States."